Aircraft-towed Zeppelins

[Adler]

Proposal to increase the speed of Zeppelin travel up to 150km/h+ by utilizing one or multiple towing aircraft. Alternatively, a "Zeppelin train" consisting of multiple Zeppelins and unpowered balloons being towed by the combined propulsion of both the Zeppelins and the fixed-wing aircraft. This latter concept was apparently tested, albeit with only a Zeppelin acting as the towing vehicle.

The concept was studied by Hermann Pohlmann (Junkers engineer and designer of the Ju 87 Stuka) and Ernst Blochmann.

Is this project unique, or were any other similar ideas proposed/tested?





Source: Document DE_614036_C published on December 9th, 1935. Full text can be found in the attachment below.

 

[dan_inbox]

Oh, look Ma! A towplane is about to commit suicide by stall ...

 

[Archibald]

Would work better with an helicopter, one big and powerful one like a CH-53E or a CH-54 Tahre.